Ki Links
by Senshi Jade
Summary: A New Heir! The Saiyajin Child Arrives!
1. Default Chapter Title

Ki Links: Part 1

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Earth: 10 years prior to the arrival of the Saiyajin Radditz

The midsummer afternoon set a warm glow on the small countryside. In the north the towering Mount Torao set its shadow in long curves across the fields and forests surrounding it. A cool breeze drifted through the area and blew soothingly through the pine trees growing up the sides of the mountain. Haruka Funakoshi felt totally at peace in his surroundings. 

The older man deeply breathed in the fresh warm air. Yes, he knew he had made the right decision coming here to live out his days. There was no one around for miles; the nearest village was at least a day's hike away. No one would disturb his training here. Funakoshi smiled slightly to himself. He had everything he would need to survive, and anything else he desired was supplied here. The valley provided a great number of fruits to eat and animals to hunt. _Solitude couldn't be more perfect_, he thought to himself. 

Funakoshi turned around and looked to get a view of the small cave home he had made for himself. It was set into the side of the mountain and was directly beside a small forest pool and waterfall, the best source of fresh water in the area. He had built a fire pit near the entrance of the mouth to drive away creatures during the night and had equipped the space with everything he had: a few personal journals and books, weapons, clothes, and several personal possessions he had acquired. Plus he now had a very large supply of food, the lizard creature that had been the former owner of the cave would provide meat for a long time…

Night began to approach quickly and dusk began to settle about the area. The birds and animals began to quiet and Funakoshi knew that soon the nocturnal creatures would start their nightly hunt. He had been busy all day cleaning out the cave and cutting up the creature; he now regretted not getting any training time in. He decided that tomorrow he would be sure to get a brutal workout to make up for it.

Lighting a fire in the pit, the old master sat for a few minutes gazing into the flames. He thought about what he had left behind to come here: family, the few friends he had, the home he had always known. Before coming here, he had a few times felt an urge that his place was not there, not in that kind of surrounding. He needed to find where he was supposed to be, and he felt that here was the best place to find it in…in this natural paradise where he was free to train as he pleased without disturbance. Sure, he didn't have the normal conveniences he was used to, two being indoor plumbing and processed food. But he felt that being here was right, and he trusted in nature to provide him with what he needed to survive. It would just take time and patience. 

Strangely, he still had one regret he just couldn't shake. There was no one for him to leave behind

in his place. He had never been serious with any woman and thus he did not have an heir to his name. Being the only child of a middle-class family, it was customary to carry on the bloodline. A few years after he had been born, his father had been crippled in one of the Tenkaichi Budokai tournaments and his mother had become sick with a fever, making her unable to have any more children. 

His father had always been a great warrior…it was always his dream for his only heir to follow in his footsteps and regain the family name. He had carried that dream even to his grave…and still Funakoshi hoped that even in his older age he could fulfill his dying wish. Perhaps even being here would help…

His thoughts came to an abrupt stop suddenly as a loud crash sounded outside the dwelling, and a shrill wailing filled the valley. Funakoshi peered out into the darkness and listened to the crying sound. It was repetitive and sharply loud that it slightly grated on his nerves. He thought to himself, _That sounds almost human…but a child? All the way out here?_ He lit a small torch with the fire and pulled a sword free from one of the weapon racks in the wall of the cave. If it was something dangerous, best to take care of it quickly while it was unsuspecting.

Slowly proceeding forward, he ducked behind a cover of bushes and other bramble. He had been trained to move in silence in order to gain the upper hand when sneaking around…although this was the first time he was doing it for his life. He gripped the sword solidly and he could feel his palms grow sweaty from the pressure. He finally planted the torch firmly into the ground, so as that the creature would not see the fire when he jumped over. He took a few deep breaths and coiled the spring muscles in his legs. With a quick leap, he jumped into the clearing and raised the sword quickly.

What he saw totally took the air from his lungs. It was a space pod, some sort of strange transport vehicle, that much was obvious. It was not very large in size itself, but its outer pod shell had been shed upon collision; a small cord only attached this pod to it. It was perfectly round and had made a large crater in the clearing. It had a few cracks in the side, but other than that it appeared in perfect condition. Funakoshi walked over and touched it lightly, causing it to shake and the wailing sound to increase. He stepped back, raising his sword again as a section of the ball started to open…

He walked around and peered in cautiously to see inside the strange craft. It was a simple design, no special features or extra circuitry. There was only a small datatrack and a control terminal. But, seated in the cushioned center of the pod, was a small nude baby. Funakoshi looked at it curiously… it wasn't human, that was for sure. It had the body of a normal child, a female Funakoshi could tell, but it had white, downy hair on its head and a small white tail wagged from side to side behind it. 

As soon as she saw the old man, the baby immediately stopped crying. For a moment the two just stared at each other, thinking and pondering the other. Her blue eyes stared up at him curiously and she reached her small hands out to him, like any normal baby would. Funakoshi hesitantly picked her up gingerly in one hand, to almost immediately drop her again when she caught one of his fingers in a viselike grip. After about a good five minutes, he managed to get his hand free and proceeded to carefully carry the baby back to the cave. 

Funakoshi scanned the cave to find something to use as a blanket for the child. The night would become cooler as the hours went by and a normal baby would get sick without one. Even if this wasn't a normal child, best to be safe than sorry. He set her down near the fire and proceeded to look for anything he could use. He eventually found a small fur he had used as part of his makeshift bed and wrapped her in it. Content with this new source of warmth, the baby soon fell soundly asleep.

The old master watched the baby girl as she dozed in the light of the fire. This child…or whatever she was… held a strange aura inside her. In all his years of training, he found that one gift he possessed was the ability to link with an aura and extract information from it. Could this child hold memories of where she had come from? _Well anything is worth a try_, Funakoshi thought to himself as he gently pressed his palm to the back of the girl's head. He breathed deeply and concentrated on her life source. Immediately his mind was flooded with images…

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A dark planet of solitude called Vegita-sei sat motionless in a flood of stars. Warriors inhabited its dark cities and dwellings. Female, male, of all sizes, born to fight wars and conquer planets for Emperor Freiza. A race bred on empty promises of new technology and power, built on their violent intuition. A race with the ability to change to the form of huge monstrous beasts by the light of the full moon thanks to the gift of their tails. A race whose people are born to kill or be killed.

A dark palace. A newborn's first cries echo through its dank hallways. Its mother's dying moans echo just as loud. A king stands motionless, watching the display with little emotional response. His young prince stands by his side, a mirror of his father's monotonous form. The man speaks his voice cold and raspy in the now silent room, asking a single question: "What is it?"

The guard in charge of assisting the birth holds the now clean child in one hand. He begins shaking in slight fear and holds it out to the king. "A female…but it is…different from us. Something is…wrong."

The king looks down on it, his cold eyes glaring at it. He holds it up in one hand, examining it in the pale glow of a torch light on the wall. "Yes…it is different. And the mother?"

"Dead from the childbirth," the prince states flatly. He finally catches sight of the child and his throat constricts slightly. After regaining his stoic posture, he looks up at his father. "Best we should take care of the child as well…it is not natural for it to look like that. Its hair and fur…white? And look at what it is doing!"

The prince points at the now cooing child, contentedly snuggling itself in the king's palm. The ruler's face snarls in disgust. "Yes…it is without the ruthlessness most Saiyajins are born with. But Emperor Frieza has commanded that every child must live…none may be killed due to the shortage in soldiers…" He stops for a moment and gives the child back to the waiting guard. "But perhaps there is another way. Put it in a capsule and send it to Sector PX-105."

"The black hole field? That in itself is death sentence, sire!" the guard says impulsively.

The king's voice becomes a roar in the silent castle. "Do you dare DEFY ME, Captain??"

The captain begins to shake even more. It is known that the king's dangerous anger is not a wise emotion to stir. "No, sire! I shall see to it at once!"

As the man hurries from the shadowy room, the king stands looking down at the boy. "It is no longer our concern. My mate has paid for what she has done, producing this…omen. By sending it off this world, its birth shall never be known to anyone else. You are to never reveal this to anyone, for the consequence will be death. You are dismissed."

The boy bows once and walks calmly out of the room.

Funakoshi fell back quickly from the child. He sat shivering for a moment in a cold sweat and reached up to rub his temples. The dark memory had taken everything out of him. He felt a deep pit in his stomach as he slowly stood up and fell out of the cave. He picked up the sword he had dropped near the capsule and walked shakily back to where the child was still sleeping silently. He carefully undid the fur and raised the sword high into the air and brought it down smoothly toward the girl…

The white tail fell harmlessly down at his feet. It thrashed slightly for a moment then was still. Regaining control, Funakoshi walked over and placed the sword back in its place. "No tail…no problems. We don't want you transforming in the middle of the night." 

Funakoshi sat down next to the child and replaced the fur over her. Still sleeping, the child stirred slightly and reached out again in the darkness. Funakoshi picked up the small bundle and held her in his arms. "So many violent memories for one so small," he said to her softly. "I guess maybe coming here was right for me… at last I have an heir, er, heiress."

The man reached down and felt the girl's soft white hair. "You will need a name though…a cold past, snowy fur, and an icy strength. How about Winter?"

Winter cooed slightly and grabbed hold of his hand. Despite her strong grasp, he smiled down at her. "Yes, I think that will do well…Winter, I think you and I are going to be alright together. I will train you as I would my own child. I will help you perfect your inborn fighting instincts. Even though you won't grow up like I did, I think we'll manage." He set her down gently again. "I will be the father you didn't get the chance to have."

And, watching the fire, Funakoshi could not help smiling to himself. They made quite an unlikely pair…an old psychic master and a Saiyajin child. Quite the unlikely pair indeed.


	2. Default Chapter Title

Ki Links: Part 2

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5 years later

"Funakosama!" Winter yelled outside the cave. She looked around, trying to find where Funakoshi was. She thought happily how impressed he would be when she showed him her new technique. _He will be so pleased by my progress! _she thought to herself. "Funakosama, where are you?" she yelled again, more irritated this time.

The old master sat down in the back of the small cave. He fingered the small scroll he held in his old hands. He winced slightly at the loud yell that echoed off the walls of the cave. _Just like a normal child… _he thought to himself. He set down the parchment and called out in a weary voice, "In here, Winterchan." 

No sooner had he said this then the small white-haired child came running into the cave at top speed. She was wearing the simple temple robe he had given her the other day. It was a gift he had received from his father when he was her age and it was the only thing small enough to fit her. She jumped into his arms, knocking him backward on the ground. He coughed and she helped him up slowly. "Gomen, Funakosama."

Funakoshi smiled at Winter's respectful name she had given him. How long had she been living and growing here with him? Had it already been five years since he had discovered the small baby in that space pod? But behind that friendly exterior he knew was the warrior's blood and fighting instinct of a Saiyajin warrior. Had she not been different from the others, and had he not trained her to use her powers correctly, she probably would not be the kind soul she was. 

Already he could tell that her strength was much more then even his at her young age. Despite her mental differentiation from her Saiyajin relatives, she still had the brawn and body of one. Winter looked up at him with her small bright blue eyes and smiled. "Funakosama, look what I have learned how to do," she insisted eagerly.

Winter backed up away from him and closed her eyes. Her body shook as she tried hard to concentrate and Funakoshi had to struggle not to start laughing. After about ten seconds, she started to float a foot…two meters…all the way to the top of the cave! She then opened her eyes and started zooming around near the ceiling, diving and darting through all corners of the cave.

After a few minutes of this, Winter flew back to Funakoshi. She ungracefully slammed headfirst into the small table he had been sitting at and sat up, rubbing her head. "Ouch…I need to work on landings."

"Hai, Winterchan…but it _is _quite impressive that you can already perform the bukujutsu technique so well. I remember when I first learned the technique from my father, and even then I was much older then you. Now in my old age I cannot do it much anymore."

She looked back up at him, her eyes uncertain. "Is it because I am a Saiyajin, Funakosama?" She would not deny the fact that she was different from the man, that she was bound to know differently and act on different instincts. Funakoshi was glad he had chosen to tell her about her heritage at her young stage in life, about how he had found her in that pod five years before and how she had come from a planet called Vegitasei. But he did not tell her of her father's order to have her killed and his heartless reaction to her birth…and he hoped she would never ask about it.

"Probably," he replied simply. He then went back to reading the scroll he had been studying. 

Winter sat down next to him. "Hey what's that?" she inquired curiously.

Funakoshi turned to her and showed her the small ornate designs on the old scroll. There were painted pictures of fighters and weaponry of different sorts. The old fashioned Japanese writing was lettered in gold and in large letters read, "Tenkaichi Budokai: The Strongest Under the Heavens."

Winter's eyebrows furrowed as she read the scroll to herself. "What is a Tenkaichi Budokai? Some sort of game or something?"

Funakoshi closed his eyes for a moment. "No, it is a large tournament meant to show the world who is the greatest fighter on Earth. It takes place every three years now. I saw one when I was a boy, a little older then you. It was very brutal and many great warriors showed up for it. My father was in it, and so now it is time that I, too, took place in it. This will be the twenty-third tournament in history."

The small girl looked down at the scroll again. "Do you think you can win?" she asked him, her eyes wide, whether in fear or in wonder, Funakoshi could not tell which.

He looked down at the scroll again and even he could feel a sense of uncertainty in him. He finally smiled down at her. "Do you think I can win?" he asked her teasingly. 

Winter seemed deep in thought for a moment. She then looked up at him with more adoration in her eyes then Funakoshi had ever seen. "I think you can do _anything_, Funakosama," she said quietly. She then broke into a wide grin and grabbed his arm. "But can I come with you?" she asked earnestly.

With the scroll to tell them how to get there, the two set off that afternoon. It took everything Funakoshi had to muster enough strength to fly the long trip while it barely phased Winter at all, even though it was farther away then she had ever been. Flying, it only took a few hours to reach the destination in the Papaya Islands. 

Winter could barely contain her childish excitement. This was the first time she had gone into actual civilization. She had only heard stories from the old master on what it was like, but nothing had prepared her for _this_. The first thing she realized was how big it was. Different people of different ages, genders, and races lived throughout the islands and she watched them with a new curiosity. It made her small valley seem so tiny compared to this huge place. Everywhere they went Funakoshi constantly felt her tugging at his sleeve pointing at different things she had never seen before in the cities, wanting to know everything about this new curious place.

After about a half-hour of walking, the two eventually found the open arena where the Tenkaichi Budokai would take place. Different types of fighters walked around the arena, talking and milling about in their different divisions. Funakoshi walked up to registration and signed in quickly. They gave him a small certificate saying his name and division and, holding Winter's hand so she would not get lost in the crowd, they walked over to a group of people who were also in the group, Division Six.

Winter looked up at the different people who were in their division. "They sure look funny," she said to herself as she looked from one to the next. There was one female warrior in the whole group. Her certificate read that her name was Chi-Chi. She looked down at Winter and smiled. _Wow, I wonder if Funakosama will have to fight her_, she thought to herself as she smiled back. _I hope when I get older I can be as good a warrior as her._

There were also two men standing beside her. One was tall with shaggy black hair falling down his back. At his shoulder was a funny looking blue creature that was floating about looking at the other fighters. _No way could that thing be fighting!_ The man was named Yamucha. He looked pretty strong, and Winter began to doubt if the old master could beat these young, stronger looking people. 

Next to Yamucha was a man that looked about the same age, called Tenshinhan. Winter gasped a little when she saw that this man had three eyes, an extra one planted in his forehead. _Scary_, she thought to herself. Standing at his side was a short man, just about her height. He did not have a certificate, but he was white in color and resembled almost like some sort of doll. "And I thought Funakosama and I looked strange around here…" she muttered to herself.

There was also a large, muscular lizard looking fighter. "Ma Junior," she read to herself. Winter reached out impulsively with her aura and felt something dark about this particular warrior. There was something about him that seemed wrong, almost like a shadowy presence in him. She backed up and walked to the other side of Funakoshi, trying to get as far away from this…creature as she could.

There were also two teenage looking boys standing and talking casually to each other. One was tall and kind of goofy looking. His certificate read, "Son Goku." But at the same time, further beyond his kid-like exterior, Winter felt some sort of strange kinship to this one. Almost like they were the same in a way.

Then she broke out into a small giggle when she saw the man next to him. He was short, only about half the size of his friend. His name was Kuririn. But what struck her funny was that he was most definitely _bald_. He reminded her of a small toy she had found in the woods, one Funakosama had called a "pachinko ball."

Kuririn looked over and noticed her staring at him humorously. He looked down at her irritably. "Can I help you with something?"

Winter shook her head. "I was just thinking how much you reminded me of my toy pachinko ball. Your head _is _rather shiny, you know." She continued laughing to herself.

Kuririn immediately began turning red and his body shook in rage. "Listen here, kid…I could probably kick that white-haired tail of yours to the Kami House and back, so I'd watch that mouth of yours."

Winter laughed a bit and walked out in front of Kuririn, taking a small fighting stance she had acquired. "I doubt that, pachinko atama. But you can try if you want."

Kuririn moved forward, but his friend put his hand on his shoulder. "Relax, Kuririn. She's just a kid."

He looked back up at him angrily, then crossed his arms and turned away from her. "Eh, little pest ain't worth my trouble anyway…hey you here to fight in the tournament, kid?"

Winter puffed out her chest proudly and jerked her thumb at the man behind her. "Nope, but Funakosama is, and he is _really_ good. I bet he can beat even you, pachinko atama."

Kuririn smiled smugly and looked at the old master. "Yeah, right…hear that, Goku? We're gonna get demolished by this ojiisan!" He then started laughing at his witty comment. Goku just stood and looked down at him.

Before anyone else could say anything, the announcement sounded loud and clear over the whole arena. "Welcome, fighters, to the greatest tournament in all the Four Corners of the earth! Welcome to the Twenty-third Tenkaichi Budokai!"

With this, a loud cheer rang out through the whole area. Winter covered her ears. _Man, these people are so loud!_ she thought to herself. Everyone else seemed unaffected by the loud noise though. There was a brief period for the people to calm down and then the announcements continued. "As each pair of fighters takes part in the tournament, the winner will be allowed to fight in future rounds against other fighters. Through a process of elimination, we will eventually come to one winner. A fighter loses if he surrenders, is knocked out of the ring, or is down for the count of ten. And now, for the first fight, from Division Six, Haruka Funakoshi!"

There was a loud applause as Funakoshi walked through the crowd and to the center of the large ring. He stood for a moment and breathed deeply, concentrating all his energy. "And from Division Ten, Ramen Okazaki!"

There was a louder roar as the dark-skinned young man walked proudly up the steps to the ring. He wore only a pair of long, black pants and his muscular chest was a wave of large muscles and tendons. He raised one hand in a friendly wave to the crowd, then proceeded to crack his back and knuckles. He smirked at Funakoshi and spoke in a deep voice, heavily accented, "Don't worry old man, I'll go easy on you."

Funakoshi made no reply, only bowed respectfully and stepped back into a deep cat stance. An M.C. quickly hit a large gold gong and commanded the fight begin. Okazaki attacked first with a fury of punches directly toward Funakoshi with such power the air sang with their sound and barely anyone in the arena could catch sight of them. Funakoshi did not bother looking at the punches themselves; he need only distribute the correctly matching energy to block them and he did not have to worry.

Okazaki jumped back. His body now glistened with a light sweat and he growled. "Are you mocking me? Why do you not attack?"

Funakoshi only smiled and returned to his stance. His father's words echoed through his mind as he felt Okazaki's ki rise sharply with anger. _Best to let your opponent drain himself before actually attacking._ All he had to do was exploit his opponent's own power…

Okazaki suddenly smiled sardonically. "I really hate to resort to this trick but in your case, old man, I think I'll make an exception." He thrust both his fists to the right side of his body and slowly began to form a large ki blast around them. Funakoshi could feel his already high ki raise even higher with the charge. 

"Kiiiiiiyaaaaaa!" he yelled suddenly, letting it go.

Funakoshi could feel the power of the blast as soon as it was released from the man's hands. It did not move with incredible speed, but its strength was almost unbearable. It only took less than a few seconds for Funakoshi to calculate the size of the fire, the distance allowed between himself and the edge of the ring, and the amount of speed he would have to make. He smiled again and simply jumped a few feet to the side nimbly, missing the blast entirely. 

Okazaki stood for a moment, his energy almost drained of all energy. "How…how could _you_, an old man who doesn't even have any ki powers, possibly defeat me?! I cannot lose!"

Okazaki launched his first strained attack, a hard jab to his kidney area. Funakoshi decided that now he should attack, and he easily sidestepped and delivered a thrust kick to the man's side. Okizaki quickly jumped, bringing his knees up and throwing a harsh heel-step into the side of Funakoshi's head.

Funakoshi sensed the force of the attack and reached his palm up to grab hold of the foot as it flew by. Time for this fight to end. He used his other fist and drove a hard punch into the man's gut. In less then two seconds, he had the man firmly pinned to the ground. He quickly stamped his toe onto one point on the man's neck, directly on his jugular vein. Okazaki was unconscious within the minute.

After the actually useless count of ten, Funakoshi immediately pulled the man up to his feet and tossed him outside the ring. The M.C. came out and held his arm in the air. "The winner, Haruka Funakoshi!"

Winter ran up to Funakoshi and held his hand as he made his way back to the division. "Funakosama! You won!" She smiled up at him. "I knew you could do it!"

Funakoshi smiled. "Thank you, Winterchan," he managed, then started coughing and panting heavily.

Winter looked at him with sudden concern. "Are you okay, Funakosama?"

"Hai, hai," he said, running his fingers through her hair. "Of course I am. Do you think one fight is gonna take everything out of me, baka?" he asked teasingly.

As the fights progressed, it _did_ start to take their toll on the old man. He won every fight he was given, but it was increasingly more difficult as the hours went by. Despite how well he had been trained, his age was slowing him down quickly. Winter could feel his draining strength and weak aura, and she started begging him to stop. "Please, Funakosama…you aren't well enough to go on!"

Funakoshi would just brush her off, assuring her that he was fine. "I haven't lost yet, have I?" he asked her continuously after each fight. "Don't worry about me."

Suddenly the next fight was called. "From Division Six, the undefeated Haruka Funakoshi!"

Funakoshi once again staggered to the ring, finally feeling everything wearing out of him. He struggled to keep his ki up and stood preparing himself in the ring. His mind suddenly flashed with images of his father when he fought…and when he finally lost in the tournament. He remembered the grim determination in his eyes when he entered the ring the last time. _Father…Father, was this how you felt before your last fight? _he thought to himself. _Then I will also be ready._ He pushed his body to a ready stance and listened as the announcer rang out the challenger. "From Division Six, the also undefeated, Ma Junior!"

Winter darted her eyes back and forth from Ma to the now weak Funakoshi. Her breath caught in her throat and she restrained herself from calling out. Could he possibly beat that creature? She watched fearfully as the other walked confidently toward the ring. She bit down on her lower lip as the gong sounded and the fight began again.

Funakoshi watched as his opponent flew over the crowd straight to the opposite side of the ring. He made no action to the crowd, nor cared what they thought of him. He also seemed indifferent to Funakoshi himself…fighting him today in this tournament seemed like a normal chore. He neither showed fear or over-arrogance. Funakoshi looked at him from head to toe. He was clad in an almost Arabic attire, but he knew that the large shoulder pads and under-garment were intended for weight training. He was a green creature, with piercing eyes and a reptilian appearance. Two antennae protruded from his turban-covered bald skull.

Funakoshi circled around the ring, sizing up this new fighter. He was unlike the others, something in his aura felt amiss. He was stronger…powered by something darker. He did not have time to further think this over when he was suddenly caught in an onslaught of combined ki and body attacks from the extremely fast opponent. His reeling head could not have time to calculate time nor distance, and he was constantly hit by the varying blows. He was totally knocked back by this man's extreme power.

Eventually, his opponent decided to turn to normal attacks. First, Ma faked him with two quick jabs, then hit him full force with a harsh kick to the stomach. Funakoshi could already tell that this would be a one-sided fight; he could not manage a single attack on this unnaturally strong fighter. But he would not surrender…_ever._ Fighting back the pain in his stomach…no, in his whole body…he descended back to his stance. He shook his head to clear it, to stop the spinning. _If I can just get behind him…maybe I can force him forward out of the ring_, he thought desperately. No way could he overpower him, if he could just outsmart him…

He focused all his energy on his legs. It would take everything he had and then some to get over the tall man and force him out fast enough not to get pummeled in the process. With a loud yell, faster then anyone could see, he flew over his head with his knees tucked under him. _That's it…come on_, he focused everything in throwing just one punch straight in Ma's back…

Before he could realize it, Funakoshi found his fist had been grabbed by one of the creature's clawed hands. He pulled back unsuccessfully and found that his other arm had also been grabbed. "What in…?" he managed. How could he have managed that?! He looked at the alien's body; he had the ability to extend his limbs!

Ma Junior looked back over his shoulder. He spoke in a cold, unforgiving voice and whispered quietly, "Sorry, old timer…this will be the last mistake you'll be making. That is, beside thinking you could win against me." As he finished this statement, he brought both of his arms back in front of him, throwing Funakoshi full force into the ground. 

Winter felt something tear in her as she watched the final attack. "Funakosama!" she yelled as she propelled herself above the crowd and into the ring. She ran to the old man's side and grabbed onto his hand. "Please, Funakosama, wake up!"

The old master was a mess, broken and bleeding. His mind swirled in painful disarray and he struggled to grasp consciousness. His mind was suddenly flashed with images… his father's final battle, his defeated look after he was crippled by his opponent's victory. He would not allow himself to look so desperate. Then he saw that Saiyajin pod, that young girl who grew up normally. He only hoped she would be okay…with him gone…

His eyes fluttered open and he looked at her. He managed a small smile as he reached up painfully and ran his fingers through her hair one last time. He tried to look brave for her…but it was just so hard…"Winterchan…ever since I found you…you have been like a daughter to me…even though you were never actually…my own. Please carry on…for me."

He coughed roughly before his eyes closed one last time. Winter reached out with everything she had, but she felt his aura diminish and fade into nothing. Her eyes welled up in tears and she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. She cried out in anguish, "No! Funakosama…how? I can't…"

She barely heard anything as the winner of the round, Ma Junior, demanded excuses on why he could not be disqualified. "I cannot be held responsible for the man's death. He knew the risks when he entered the tournament. I guess he just couldn't handle it. Besides he was already half gone before the fight and I cannot be blamed"

Winter jumped up from where she lay huddled over the old master. The mere sight of the monster pulled at something inside her. She looked up at him and felt her body become afire with the strength she had always held inside. The gift she had been born with yet had never actually released. It was overpowering in her and she reached out to unleash it on this…this…

Suddenly Winter felt a touch on her shoulder. She darted her eyes back behind her. It was that young man she had seen earlier with Kuririn…that Son Goku. She looked into his now downcast eyes as he knelt beside her. She heard his voice over all the noise and commotion, above the rush of power that was practically burning in her ears. It was only a simple statement, but Winter could feel it touch deep inside her. "I know what it feels like…to lose someone so close."

Winter felt herself calm down. She fell into the man's arms and cried despairingly, over and over until she had nothing left inside her. He could hear him asking her questions, but she could not respond. Finally, she turned away from him and walked solemnly over to the body of her old friend. She picked him up easily, almost like he had always done to her since she was a baby. She glanced back at Goku, who still had not moved and regarded him weakly. "Thank you."

She turned slowly and, leaving the civilization she had just a few hours ago been so curious about and that had seemed so wonderful, flew back to her home in the valley.


	3. Default Chapter Title

Ki Links: Part 3

10 years later

Winter woke from her deep sleep with a start. She disentangled her legs from the furs that made her bed in the cave and sat on the cold ground, holding her head in her hands. Her whole body was wet in sweat and she breathed heavily. Another confusing dream had left her body shaken, and she fought to calm her racing pulse. She felt weak, and, disliking the feeling, she forced herself to stand up and walk out of the cave.

It was just barely dawn, and the early morning sun cast warm rays across the forest. Beautiful colors and lights danced from the reflection off Mount Torao. Flowers and trees flitted daintily in the light breeze against a perfectly blue sky. The peaceful feeling that settled itself throughout the valley gave Winter a reassuring emotion throughout her body, putting her to ease and relaxing her tension.

She walked, steadily now, to the small spring that still flowed outside. She wadded in slowly, for the change in weather had given the water an icy temperature. Eventually the water rose to just about her midriff and she felt all parts of her body give in to the cold. Enduring it had actually helped add a bit to her training, although now she was used to it. She continued forward until she stood beneath the waterfall. It cascaded down over her nude, muscular figure, rinsing it of the odor of the night. It washed through her now long white hair and flattened her small widow's peak on her forehead. She gathered some in her hand and drank it slowly, quenching her parched throat.

Winter threw the water around her body, rubbing away the dirt and grime of the cave. She bent her arms behind her and cracked her back, and she felt something rub against her hand. She glanced back at it; her tail had grown back again. Funakoshi had always said that she would turn into a monstrous beast if she ever saw the full moon and had her tail grown back. He had removed it when she was a baby and every few months it would grow back and he would remove it again. The routine went on like that.

After Funakoshi was killed, she was always as a young child afraid of becoming the beast and had continued to remove it on her own. This was the first time it had grown back in a few months, and she reached back to grab it. But something stopped her from pulling it out…for the first time it occurred to her that she had not seen the moon at all, let alone the full moon, in at least four years. She felt herself let go, there was no reason to remove it. She wrapped it around her right leg. Besides, it was a heritage she could not refuse. She was Saiyajin, and this small piece of home was somehow satisfying to her. It would stay for now.

Winter sat on a nearby boulder that was formed from the side of the cave into the pond. Her mind was still spinning with images from the nightmare. She found that over the last few years she had had dreams every night, and most of them turned out to be nightmares. It was strange actually, most were filled with clear images that she could recall vividly even when she was awake. They were usually confusing and made little sense, though some she could relate to. Some were memories of better times, when Funakoshi was still alive and when she had not lived alone in this forest of solitude. 

As Winter pulled on a black gi and pants, she thought about last night's particular dreams. This past one was incredibly visual, and she could remember all the scenes from it with a startling accuracy even more so than most of the time. There were several people, though they were all shrouded in dark shadows and she could not make out their faces. But among them was one she could see, one that was etched in her memory for life: that murderer Ma Junior, calmly smiling at her mockingly. The shadowed people were protecting him, while she tried every attack she could to get through their barrier. There was also a name that kept echoing in the background: _Satan City_. 

Winter clenched her fist and fired a ki blast at a distant tree. She growled in frustration as she watched it become just a smoldering heap. What was that name supposed to mean? She had studied Funakoshi's books and journals and had never even heard the place mentioned. Besides she didn't want to go back to that world…she was fine here. The only thing she knew was what she had seen those years ago…

She looked down at her reflection in the pool. Her face was set in a scowl and her eyes were sadder than the ones of the human females. Her eyebrows were light and covered by her shaggy white mane that fell down to the middle of her back. She pushed it back and tied it into a long ponytail, so that it would not fall in the way while she trained. 

Winter sat for a few moments, looking down at her image staring back up at her. She sighed disdainfully. _Funakoshi if you were only still here, I would know what to do,_ she thought to herself. She growled again. Being sentimental would get her no where, that was all too true. For now, she didn't know this place, let alone where it was, so there was only one thing she could do for now. Train.

She descended from the rock and fired her ki to its maximum level. Something told her that she should practice as hard as possible right now. She wasn't quite sure what made her think such, but it wouldn't hurt anyway. She then leapt forward and began a stream of connected attacks. _Go, Winter! Hard hard hard! Focus all your strength!_ Her heart ran and she put everything she had into the attacks. She stopped for a moment, feeling her body edge almost nervously. 

Why was she feeling like this was so desperate?

Bulma looked around the small area she had found in the woods. She had been looking for a good camp site for a few days now, and she could see this place would be perfect. It was open and roomy, set almost in a field area, free from brush and bramble. It was miles from Capsule Corp., and if she had not come in her cloud car it would have taken days to hike there. But it was worth it; this place was literally amazing!

She reached into her pocket and fished out a few small capsules. She threw one at the car, quickly compacting it into the small device. She then activated the others and tossed them one by one to other parts of the area. With a small _poof_, the whole meadow was crowded with all the camp equipment she had brought. These things were very handy when it came to travelling.

Bulma surveyed the surrounding area. There was so much food that it could have filled both Vegita and Goku comfortably and over ten different means of cooking it. She had remembered to bring the quality designed camping tent, a large inflatable mattress, and sheets and blankets. She was also sure to include a pure water filter, several cooking utensils, spices, herbs, and many dishes of varying sizes. And of course there were her essentials: her new romance novel, stereo, and portable television. "Boy, I hope I brought enough…" she murmured. 

It was just barely daybreak when Bulma arrived, and there would be no need to make a fire until dusk. She sat down on a folding lawn chair she had also brought with the tent and calmly breathed in the fresh natural air. She had wanted to get some time on her own for a while now, especially with everyone training for the fight with the Androids in a year. Two years ago, a strange Saiyajin had come from the future and had told them that in three years the Android would come to try to destroy the Earth. He had even turned to Super Saiyajin effortlessly, a feat that even Goku had just mastered. But he never said who he was or why he warned them, only to prepare for the worst.

So now everyone had gone their separate ways to train for the period of time; Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo all went home to train in their area, while Chaozu and Tenshinhan had both gone off into the wilderness again together. Kuririn had also left to train in his own way off in a secluded area of the world with Muten Roshi. Just like the dragonballs, they split to all directions and she hoped she wouldn't need to contact them any time soon…that would be quite the chore.

Only Yamucha had decided to stay within the city to train, although most of the time he was busy going to assorted parties and spending his time trying to impress the local girls. Bulma felt her fist clench at the memory of how many times he had been unable to go out with her because he had to "be somewhere" or he was too hung over to leave his apartment. "Yamucha no baka…" she said softly to herself. "I thought you cared more about me than that…" 

It was about the fifth time that he made that excuse that she finally confronted him and, with a not exactly calm tone, told him it was over. She didn't want him around anymore, and, angered, he agreed more than generously. Bulma felt herself let go of a small choked sob, and she felt her rage replace with a gut wrenching sad and regret. _I guess what hurt most was that he never changed his mind…I always hoped he might come back again…_

It was only after that that Bulma started to take interest in the older man who had decided to train inside Capsule Corp. Vegita had demanded a gravity room built that would operate to three hundred times the Earth's gravity in order to be three times stronger than Goku, or Kakarroto as he always called him. The Briefs had given him his own room and allowed him access to the whole house for whatever he might need. Of course Bulma never minded. He trained day and night, but she always found some way of seeing him or coincidentally bumping into him just in order to come in contact with him.

Bulma felt herself flush from the memory. He had always intrigued her, and finally after all that time he said that he had felt the same way. Well, actually he said he had "chosen her to be his royal mate" and had made it sound like she should feel privileged by his esteemed choice. But she knew somehow through that look in his eyes when he said it and how he embraced her that he meant it in a deeper way.

With that thought Bulma suddenly felt a jab of pain in her stomach. She ran her hand over her bulged stomach softly. He had sure found a big way to express his feelings… Now she had been carrying their half-Saiyajin son in her womb for about eight months. She was expectant in a few weeks and looked forward to having a child of her own. But she hadn't seen Vegita for months, and she started to wonder if he would be this baby's father or if she would be forced to parent it on her own…

Bulma slowly began to arrange everything so that it was easy to get to. By the time she was done it was roughly lunchtime, and she fixed a large meal for herself. She was quite full after two steaks and a cheese sandwich. "Boy if I keep this up, I'm going to have an appetite like Son-kun," she said teasingly to herself.

The climate here was perfect, it was very cool and breezy. She snacked on some chips lazily as she lay on the chair, drinking in the airy peacefulness. She picked up her book and began to read it, absolutely comfortable in this almost world she had found. Her very own paradise…away from work, away from responsibility… She closed her eyes and sighed happily. "This is bliss…" she whispered.

Bulma heard a low growl. She opened her eyes quizzically. _No way that can be my stomach after a lunch that big_, she thought, a slight nervousness overtaking her. The growl increased to an almost snarl, and she slowly looked behind her chair. A large, black lion was slowly coming out of the area of trees. Its lips were drawn back, revealing two rows of serrated teeth. They were stained red from past hunts that were evidently in his its favor. Its gold eyes pierced straight through Bulma, and it began to slowly advance. Its muscles were coiled tight, looking like they were ready to spring the animal into full killing action.

"Kuso…" Bulma managed in shaky whisper, the fear taking all parts of her. 

And, like a black bullet, the lion flew through the air straight at her. All Bulma could do was scream.

Winter suddenly stopped training as the shrill noise filled the entire forest. It was loud, that much was apparent. More than that, though, was that it was definitely human. There was no animal in the forest that could make a noise as loud or tight as that. But how did it get out here? And where exactly was it? She closed her eyes and spread her ki out to all areas beyond the cave. _Has to be around here somewhere…there!_ There were two energies…one was animal, the other was human. And it wasn't far either, in fact it was just through the forest a few blocks.

She took off sprinting through the brush. It would be better to conserve energy than waste it flying such a short distance. Besides, she had yet to go running today and the feeling was good on such a pleasant day. Her muscles sprang with adrenaline and her speed increased. Just a bit closer…she could tell that more from the strength of the screams than the energy sources.

As she come closer, Winter felt herself hesitate. Why was she going after this human? What concern was it what happened to it? She had learned long ago that whether she liked it or not, the course of nature was never fair. You either lived or died, and everything eventually died. She finally looked through the few remaining trees and saw the scene. The human was using a chair of some kind to shield herself from the beast, while it was practically on top of her. She was a young woman, although older than Winter herself. The lion was more than three times her size, and Winter could see it was only a matter of time before the woman lost the fight. Did she deserve the chance to live? 

Almost as an answer, her mind suddenly sprang to a new image. In place of the two opponents, Winter saw two new figures. The young woman was Funakoshi, afraid and trying to fend off the overwhelming foe. Instead of the lion, there was Ma Junior, slowly breaching the barrier that separated them. Getting closer…and closer… _Funakosama deserved to live! I deserve to live! She shouldn't have to die! She shouldn't have to die! _her mind screamed over and over.

Winter threw herself on the lion's back and grappled it to the ground.

Bulma crawled away backwards from the lion and the girl on its back. She thanked everything she had in her that she had been able to manage to get behind the chair when the lion leapt. And already she thanked that person who came out of no where…

The white-haired girl was incredibly strong and fast when compared to the lion. She had managed to force the creature to the ground and put it into an overpowering chokehold. It threw its paws frantically trying to get free, managing to scratch the girl along her back. Bulma could hear her manage a small painful yell as she jumped off the lion, blood dripping from her wounds. She grabbed at her back, trying to keep herself from bleeding more than necessary.

Bulma looked desperately through the equipment to find something, anything, she could use as a weapon to help the woman. Any animal would kill a bloodied victim in no time. She hadn't thought to bring a blaster of any kind, but maybe this would work. She held up a large, industrial-size frying pan. _Well, it always worked on even my cooking… _she thought fleetingly as she threw it full force at the lion's head.

No sooner had it hit with a large _gong_ that the beast turned on her full speed. Its yellow pupils had taken on a red glow and it growled menacingly. Bulma shielded herself from the sight and crouched on the ground frighteningly, screaming again. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed every prayer she knew that she would live. "Please no! Please no! Please no! Please no!" she cried, sobbing.

But nothing ever came… all there was that could be heard was a gurgling sound and the lion's soft moan. Bulma managed to get up on one knee and looked at the lion. It was quite dead, its back smoking and body strewn on the ground. The girl stood over it, panting heavily and her palm faced down at it. Bulma walked toward her slowly. "Arigatou…thank you…" she stuttered uncertainly.

The girl stood up from her crouched position and dropped her palm. She looked at Bulma silently, her gaze unwavering. She seemed to be trying to understand what she was trying to say. Finally it occurred to Bulma what was wrong. "You don't know how to speak do you?" She started talking slower, like she would to a child. "I-am-Bulma. B-u-l-m-a. What-is-your-name?"

Winter felt herself become irritated. She had just saved this woman's life…did she think she was stupid or something? All she knew was she didn't want to stay around here; she needed to go back to the cave and tend to her wounds. Of course the least the woman could do was let her have the lion…it would provide good food for a while.

She walked over, ignoring the human's inane babbling, and slung the body over her back. She only immediately dropped it again when her body became afire with pain. Winter dropped to one knee and groaned in pain, her mind reeling in shock. Those claws went farther than she thought…

Suddenly Winter felt the woman…what was her name? Bulma was it?…touch her shoulder gently. Pride told her to brush her away and run for the cave, but something else made her stop. "Please, let me help you take care of that. Don't go, please."

Perhaps it was that voice, that kind, caring voice that reminded her so of Funakoshi. Maybe it was the pleading note in it. Winter looked back behind her into the woman's eyes. She felt her own eyes soften and she said, in a voice she hadn't used for years, "Ore Winter da. I am Winter. Dou Itashimashite. You are welcome."

"This may hurt a bit, Winter," Bulma said softly as she examined her back. She gently sprayed the antiseptic liquid onto the open wounds and rubbed the wet cloth over them.

Winter sat, letting the pain seep into her body. She didn't mind it, actually, and the pain did not seem to affect her. She had learned endurance years ago, living alone in the wilderness had demanded it of her. "I can bear it," she responded coolly. 

Bulma dabbed at her back gently. The blood was clotting quickly, quicker than a human's would. Winter could feel her cool breath blow on the wounds and she glanced back at her. She had begun wrapping a strip of cloth around her torso, covering the scars. "Luckily they won't need stitches," she confirmed. "They didn't go quite that deep. But you better be careful with them anyway."

"They will heal quickly. I will live," Winter countered, flatly. 

Bulma looked at her strangely. "Your wounds are different from many I have seen. And you are different, too… Where are you from? Where are your parents? Your family?"

_This woman talks a lot_, Winter thought irritably. And perhaps it was best not to tell her everything quite yet… she was still not sure if she could be trusted. And questions were something she wanted to avoid. "This is my home, in the cave a little bit away. I have no family, and I live alone. And if that is all, I will be leaving now."

She stood up and turned away, walking steadily from Bulma, who still crouched on the ground. "Wait! Perhaps you can stay…to eat? I have plenty, and I still must thank you for coming for me."

Winter rolled her eyes. Did this woman ever stop? She wasn't used to such…luxuries. Healing her wounds, cooking for her…of course, it had been a long time since she had had a real meal she didn't have to make herself, and she hesitated. Her stomach grumbled and her iron will gave way to the temptation. "Fine. What do you eat?"

Winter sat back, rubbing her stomach and licking the soy sauce from her fingertips. "So…that is what you people call ramen? It is not wild pig, but I could get used to it…"

Bulma sat back heavily. Winter had eaten as much as she did, if not more! But she was strangely savage…she had mostly eaten with her hands, not worrying about chopsticks or bowls. "Hai, that is my best ramen." She confirmed. She stuck her nose up indignantly. "I hope at least you enjoyed it, most people just don't appreciate my fine cooking!"

_Humans are very self-conscious_, Winter noted to herself. "It was not bad. But I have not eaten it before. It is a strange food, this ranma…"

"Ramen."

"Whatever."

Bulma pulled up her chair and sat down on it. The dusk was starting to cool the warm temperatures of the day, and she shivered both out and inwardly. Perhaps now would be a good time to start a conversation on who this Winter actually was. "So, Winter…you never quite explained where you came from."

Winter stopped moving and looked over at her, giving her a cold look. This woman, who had welcomed her into her abode even as a stranger, who had fed her, tended to her…could she be trusted? She remained like that for a few minutes, letting her mind think it over. She didn't know how she would react if she told her she was a Saiyajin. Perhaps she could tell her, but not straight out… 

She finally pointed to the sky. "Up there."

Bulma cocked her eyebrow. "Nani?"

Winter looked at her again, more irritably. "I came here in a pod as a baby. And Funakosama found me in the woods. I have lived in his cave ever since he died."

"Funakosama? Never heard of him. So…does that mean you are an alien?"

It was now Winter's turn to cock her eyebrow. "An…alien? What is an alien?"

Bulma touched her finger to her nose and thought for a few seconds. "An alien…comes from outer space. From some other planet."

Winter wrinkled her nose. She did not like this explanation. "I am not an alien, Bulma."

"But you said you came in a pod to Earth, right?" she prompted curiously.

Winter finally growled in frustration. There was no other way to explain this…she would just have to show her. She stood up and lowered her pant-leg slightly, uncurling her tail from her right leg and bringing it out. She let it come out fully and swung it back and forth a bit. She finally put it back inside and sat back down again.

Bulma had just sat and stared throughout the whole presentation. Her eyes were glazed and her mouth was gagged open in an almost amazement or fear. Winter leveled her eyes at her angrily and again stood to leave. _I knew it…_"I'll be going now, Bulma," she said, her voice curled in contempt.

It was then that Bulma decided to snap out of her trance. Her voice was kind and soft, not frightened or angry. "No, Winter, please. I'm sorry. I didn't know…you are a Saiyajin."

Winter felt herself let out a gasp. Nothing had prepared her for this type of reaction. Bulma wasn't afraid of her, she wasn't mad that she didn't tell her…_she understood!_ And it made something click inside her…an almost rekindling of a remembrance. She could feel her hardened soul give way to a rush of new emotion. _She understood!_

Her voice broke when she spoke again. "You…know what I am?"

Bulma laughed a bit. "More than you know! My son…my…" she stopped for a moment, faltering over the word. "His father…some of my friends. They are Saiyajin, also."

Winter turned back around and sat back down again next to Bulma. "I always thought I was alone. I always thought I would remain alone. Die alone. I never knew there were more like me…"

"You can come back with me, if you like. You can be with them, with people like you. Other Saiyajin."

Winter felt dozens of feelings rush over her at once. They were new to her…or they were old, ones she had abandoned long before. Hope, longing, joy… to be with others of her kind was an overwhelming thought. But she had to remain staid before this human. She nodded once and smiled at her. "I shall return with you Bulma. When you return to your world, I shall come with you."

Bulma held out her hand to Winter and Winter grasped her wrist. Bulma became almost giddy with excitement. "Hai, Winter! They'll be glad to meet you, I know they will!" They let go, and Bulma looked more relaxed. "I know that Saiyajin appetite of yours…how about some desert?"

The night became darker, and soon the stars took their places in the heavens. Winter had built a fire in the middle of the meadow and it burnt brightly in the dark night. Nocturnal animals could be heard rustling through the forest, and Bulma felt a twang of fear in this darkness. The fight still had her shaken and she hoped that with Winter nearby she would be safe out here.

She glanced at the girl, sleeping in a fetal position nearby. She was already in a deep slumber, without so much as a blanket to protect her. Bulma felt reassured just being able to see her, but she could not help but to feel slightly afraid. She knew what strength the girl actually had…she had seen Gohan, Goku, Vegita… all their power. What if a girl Saiyajin was more powerful? She could be a good ally to have in the fight against the Androids… but would they appreciate her for what she was?

Most of all though Bulma hoped they would accept her. She already knew how proud Vegita was, but he would get used to her eventually. Goku was so innocent anyway that he would like meeting her. And Gohan had such teenage curiosity…and that was when a thought struck her. Would Gohan want Winter as a warrior, a companion…or something more? She smiled to herself. All they needed were more half-Saiyajins running around…

Finally the exhaustion of the day overtook Bulma, and she was quickly fast asleep.

Winter awoke quickly. Unlike that morning, she was perfectly dry and had not been sweating. She was quite calm and peaceful, not sprung and tense. She had had a dreamless sleep, for once in ten years. It was amazing to her…she had never slept peacefully for as long as she could remember. But somehow, yes. It was true.

But then she took a second to look where she was. She was still in Bulma's camp, and the fire was still burning. It was still cold like in the night…wait, it _was _still night. It was not even early morning yet…dusk would not come for many more hours. The stars were still twinkling in their position in the heavens.

Something was wrong. 

It suddenly hit her, a loud cry from her right. It came from Bulma's tent. She scrambled forward and tore open the flaps that led inside. Bulma was writhing in pain, moaning and now yelling in pain. Her bluish hair was plastered to her forehead as she sweated profusely. She was crying desperately, "Winter! Winter, please! My water broke and I've…I've gone into labor! Save my baby, please! Winter, please!"


	4. Default Chapter Title

Ki Links: Part 4

It was too true that Winter was at a loss for words.

Only moments before, she had been sleeping peacefully, something which was in itself an incredible thing after the years of nightmare-filled slumbers. And to then be awaken by this woman Bulma's painfully loud screams was even more puzzling. It seemed that in the past day, everything had been turned more confusing than it had been in years.

Winter reached up to rub one of her sensitive ears. _Does this woman have to scream _all _the time?_ she asked herself in annoyance. But she could partly understand, at least this time she looked like she was in actual pain. But even if she was silent, the sight was more than enough to convince her. The woman's face was red and sweat was pouring off of her in large amounts, soaking the robe she had been wearing. Her blue eyes were squeezed shut and when she opened them, tears flowed from them uncontrollably. Her body twisted convulsively, and she struggled to even speak. It was even slightly frightening to Winter to hear the woman's begging her for help, whether in short gasps or in loud shouts, in harsh commands or frightened despair. But confused as to what to do, she could only stand and watched the display with an almost curious wonder. 

But her thoughts were interrupted as Bulma let go another chorus of shouts. "Baka, what are you doing?! Help me, Winter! Do something! Anything!"

Winter's state of dignified stillness changed as she shrugged a bit absently. Out of her few emotions, confusion took over. "What _am _I supposed to do, Bulma? What is wrong with you?"

Bulma let out something that sounded almost like an expression of exasperation. "Winter…I've gone into labor. And I'm out in the middle of nowhere…you're the only one who can help me. _Please_."

Her eyebrows furrowed in question. "Labor? What is this 'labor'?"

The pain was unbearable. Bulma had never thought going into labor could be so bad. Her teacher at the pregnancy course she took had said that she would know when she was really in labor by certain signs: her water breaking, painful convulsions, pressure in the abdomen. She had never imagined it being this…extreme! _Kami, help me…the pain…._

She could barely see anything as tears clouded her sight and sweat flew into her vision, stinging her eyes. Her mind kept screaming and cursing at her. _It's too early! You can't have the baby here! Why were you so naïve as to go camping at a time like this?_ Suddenly another voice, somewhat harsh, but perfectly calm, rang into her mind from the real world. "What is this 'labor'?"

She knew Winter was still standing in front of her, looking at her in her mad hysteria of pain. She didn't understand how anyone could be so…ignorant! As another twist of pain wracked her stomach, Bulma felt the rage in her increase. "What kind of stupid question is that?! Don't you know what it means to give birth, you imbecile?!"

There was a pause of silence. In that one instance, fear and panic overcame the anger. Her mind ran rampant with ideas of what would happen if she didn't get help. She felt a gut wrenching fear…fear for her life, fear for the baby's. And a painful realization that she might be alone, at a time where it was necessary she was not. "Wait! Please, no, I'm sorry, Winter…forgive me…"

She suddenly felt relief when she heard the same voice, steady and still remaining calm. "Birth, Bulma? You…a human…give birth?"

Small inklings of a memory came back to Bulma as she remembered a voice so similar to that one ask almost the same question. Son-kun had asked the same question when he first found out Chi-Chi was pregnant. He had come to Bulma, asking what it meant, if she was sick or was dying. He had been wrought with worry at the idea. "You really…don't know, do you?" Bulma asked, the same question she had asked him those years ago.

"No," the girl replied simply.

Bulma suddenly received another painful blow. It was almost as if someone was kicking her repeatedly, and she fought to keep herself from getting sick from the pain. She had little time, now was no time for long explanations. "Winter…people give birth to babies. But they…need help. If I don't get that help…I don't know…what will happen. I need a doctor…now!"

Winter felt an inkling of something resembling panic mixed with an annoyance. She knew what a doctor was: humans that cured the sick or injured in buildings called hospitals. But more importantly she knew she _definitely_ did not the knowledge to deliver Bulma's child. She had seen wild creatures lay eggs and give birth without her help, and it confused her to think that a human would need assistance doing something such as that. Of course, no animal had looked as terrible as Bulma did right then…

The whole situation was sardonically twisted. How many times did she have to rescue this woman? This was the second time her life was in her hands… it would be perfectly easy just to leave her there. It was none of Winter's business what happened to her or the child… and yet it was. The child's father was a Saiyajin…_ a Saiyajin_! One of her own kind, a missing link to her hidden past.

It wasn't just his child…it was hers. It wasn't just a half-Saiyajin that was being born…it was a brother. 

And Bulma was no longer a strange being from another world…she was a healer. A consoler. She had taken her in, fed her, clothed her… and the blood of the Saiyajin now flowed partially through her, too. It was an entangled chain that spread through all of them that bound them together through fate and blood. Slowly Winter's annoyance left her, replaced by a strange satisfaction and realization.

Bulma suddenly screamed loudly. It was more tearing this time, more painful. And to Winter it was now that much more evident. "Winter…_ Now_!" she gasped.

Within a second, Winter knelt beside the suffering woman and picked her body up easily, cradling it in her large grasp with gentle ease. She ran out of the clearing and fired her ki to its maximum. Her desperation powered her quicker than it ever had before and she jumped into the air with a huge gust of wind. Energy cracked around her as her level of Saiyajin power rose as high as her body would allow. It took her no time at all to start flying with astonishing speed through the night sky.

It had been a while since she had actually gone flying. It would have been exhilarating, the feeling of power and life that was flowing through her in those moments. She felt stronger than she ever had before, a true warrior in her element. But the fact that the blood of two of her comrades was now at stake, her mood was hardened with the determination inside her…inside them.

Over the howling wind produced by their speed, Winter could barely make out Bulma's once again extremely loud screams. Her sharp nails dug into her still injured back and shoulders as she grasped her body frightfully. Winter slowed to a hovering stop, powering down the excess energy that was still surrounding her body in blue flames of power. 

Winter braced her ears for the barrage of panicked shouts she knew were to come as the air became still. She was unpleasantly surprised to find the woman only now breathing in huge gasps. "He's coming…Kami, he's coming!"

"Bulma," Winter said, trying to keep as calm as she possibly could, but firm. "I need you to tell me how to get to a hospital. I've never left the forest alone before…I need _your _help now." 

The woman suddenly let out a squeal of air from her throat and gritted her teeth, starting to cry again. "I can't! I can't!"

The girl felt herself rise a bit in anger, and she fought to control her emotions. "You _must_. Or the child is going to die, Bulma. Focus, now!"

"Too soon…too soon…" she repeated over and over, her voice becoming husky and sore.

Winter felt a slight panic begin to swell in her mind. There had to be some way to help the woman, some way to calm her down… _I've got it_! She had never actually used the ki power on a human before, but she had used it several times on injured creatures or her own wounds she would accumulate from over-training. Perhaps it would work for a temporary relief.

She propped Bulma's body weight on her right arm, sitting her on one knee and into an almost sitting position. She had to be careful not to drop her as the woman threw her head back in another howl of maternity pain. Winter then held her other palm flat against the woman's bulging stomach and began to focus all her spare energy into the formation of a warm healing power. She searched her mind to pinpoint the power into the child inside Bulma. Winter strained as her concentration that allowed her flotation to sustain wavered and she almost started sinking to the ground. 

_Fight! You can do this, Winter!_ her mind repeated to her. Finally, slowly, Bulma started to breath steadily and her eyes blinked as they focused into awareness. She felt relaxed and Winter could feel her heartbeat slow as her adrenaline level lowered substantially. "It… stopped," Bulma let out finally, almost in a childish wonder.

Winter's head was now swimming as she fought to control her flight. Her energy was drained, and she prayed that she would be able to make it to the hospital. She managed to wheeze out in a low voice, "Which…way?"

Bulma looked at her with a concerned sympathy. "Winter…you're drained. We have to stop until you can control yourself."

Humans and their insane sympathy… As Winter shook her head to clear it, she gasped out in an angrier tone than she had intended. "I'm fine, woman! That healing I administered to you was only a temporary commodity…I range that in about two minutes, the pain will be back. And I can't do that again!" Her voice grew to a shout. "Now tell me which way!"

Bulma shrank back a bit in Winter's grasp, a bit of fear in her blue eyes. She finally pointed out to the west. "Only a few miles that way, then you get to the city. The hospital is on Hibiki Road."

"Good thing it's not far," Winter replied as she rocketed forward again. Her pace was a great deal slower than it had been and each foot they flew felt like a hundred. Her acute sight scanned the countryside, looking for a sign of anything that would show the way. 

Finally she made out the hazy shadowed shape of a few sparse round buildings. Slowly their numbers increased until they saw the beginnings of a huge city, jammed with busy city streets, bustling cars, and towering skyscrapers and buildings. Winter decreased their height until they were almost along the rooftops. 

Bulma scanned below them. She knew the city better than Winter and finally she pointed to a small side road. "There! That's Hibiki Road…the hospital should be two blocks down that way. We should be there any…any… no. Not again…kuso!" She let out a small moan and Winter could feel the effects of the recurring pains in Bulma's body even before she let go another burst of screams.

Vegita felt like he was going to literally burst from all the pressure he was exerting on himself. He had let his rage increase to its maximum peak and he knew that his body was slowly starting to change… he was so close now… and soon he would be ranked with that fool Kakarrotto. And then he could surpass him. Defeat him.

He felt the gravity room floor start to push on his feet and he thought it may crack again. It shouldn't though, Dr. Briefs had seen to it that the materials were doubly reinforced, especially after Vegita had destroyed the room in another try at turning Super Saiyajin. The accident had nearly killed him and had reduced the structure to an unsalvageable wreck. He had seen to it that the doctor had rebuilt it by the time he was out of the recovery room and had reconstructed it to take on all effects of his training. It had then taken him a few months to finally return to this current state he was in; any other time he had tried, it would send him into a fit of illness. And with that an uncontrollable rage that he was to fall victim to such… weakness.

Vegita could feel the bones and muscles in his body bulge and shift as it started rearranging to suit the transformation. His hair started to flair, to pale in color as it began to take on the golden aura, the telltale sign of the new form. Suddenly all he could see was white as even his eyes started to change from their normal color. He could feel his own royal blood boil with his increasing anger. It was so close…

And no sooner had it begun that his body erupted in a blinding pain, forcing a choked gasp through the Saiyajin's throat. He fell to the metal floor with a sickening thud, the advanced gravity taking its toll on him with increasing pressure. He forced himself to a crouched position. "Chikuso…" he managed out in a harsh voice. "Again…I fail."

Vegita could feel all his energy spent, his body totally drained of all power within him. He forced himself to crawl to the controls at the center of the room. He let out a wheezing laugh. "To think…the almighty Saiyajin no Ouji…would be forced to crawl…like some animal. How…ironic." He hit the controls with his hand, instantly feeling the relief as the gravity of Earth returned to normal.

He stood up shakily and almost fell back to the ground. "Even more ironic…that a third class traitor…a half-witted fool…would outdo my power…time after…time…" he murmured to no one. He was filled with a mixture of emotions: anger, at both himself and fate that he should be practically at the mercy of some lowly commoner, a deep sadness that penetrated inside his very soul… why? _Why_ couldn't he make it?

Vegita suddenly fell to his knees as he felt a twinge of pain hit his chest with extreme shock. He gasped and grabbed at his heart. What was wrong with him? This was not like any pain he had ever felt before… it was a physical pain, but also something more…something more deep inside him…

_Bulma!_

It was still the middle of the early morning, and the hospital was practically empty and totally silent. A nurse sat behind the desk, twiddling a pen between two of her fingers idly while another ran scans through the computer files, checking for system bugs. A doctor passed by, sipping on a cup of hot coffee, thinking how much he would like to go home and get some well-deserved rest. It was a normal night for everyone working at the usual stations.

That was before Winter had broken through the glass sliding doors, carrying a still yelling Bulma in her arms. "Baka! You're supposed to use the doors, not go through them!" Bulma screamed at her.

Winter ignored her, blinking and trying to focus on where she was. She was a wreck, weakened beyond belief and trying to maintain a manageable consciousness. A few streams of blood now trickled from a few scratches on her face from going through the door. She looked at the workers standing around her, gawking at the sight. _You'd think they never saw someone flying before_… Winter thought to herself. But she was suddenly torn from her thoughts as Bulma's body convulsed again.

Winter turned to one of the nearby nurses. "You! Help her! Now!" her voice was loud with rage and it took on an animal-like growl as she spoke.

The young woman scrambled from where she was standing and rushed over to her. "What is the problem?" she asked, obviously shaken by the girl's sudden entrance.

Winter snarled. "What does it look like? This woman's in, er, uh…" She faltered, trying to remember the word Bulma had used earlier. "Um…"

The woman in her arms suddenly lashed out and grabbed a hold of the nurse's sleeve. "My baby! I'm in labor, please!" she let out in one gasp.

A doctor suddenly pulled up with a wheelchair. "Here, set her down in this. We'll take her to the delivery room."

Winter looked at the strange chair and hesitated in deciding whether or not to trust Bulma with these…strangers. She suddenly felt a cool hand touch her shoulder and she looked down to see Bulma staring up at her with a strained look of kindness mixed with trust. "Go on, Winter…they'll take care of me. This once…please trust me."

Winter considered for a moment and finally set her down in the wheelchair. She followed obediently as the doctor started to push Bulma down the hall. She turned when she felt a small tug at her gi sleeve. It was the same nurse who had first confronted her. "Ma'am, you can't go back there. You'll have to wait in the…" She stopped short when she saw the girl staring murderously at the hand that was holding her back. She immediately let go.

Winter leaned her back against the wall outside the delivery room. She had decided it best to let the doctors perform their work without her in the way, but she wanted to be close enough should Bulma need her help. She stared at the door intensely, they had been in there for a while now. Long enough that a few people intent on 'removing her from the building' had already approached her a few times. Some small blast techniques had gotten rid of them easily. _Annoyances…_ she thought sourly to himself.

Suddenly the door opened with a small creak. A few nurses came streaming out, looking a bit downcast; Winter felt her gut wrench with a feeling of nervousness and fright. She pushed past them and ran into the delivery room. "Bulma? Bulma!"

Winter saw her lying on a small bed, looking lifeless and pale. She gasped suddenly and walked over to her. She was extremely relieved when she could make out her light breathing through her acute hearing. The doctor that had wheeled her in was looking intently out the window, his back to her. Winter could hear him murmuring to himself. "It was very close… dangerously close…"

_No…No!_ She felt a sickening pang of guilt resound through her already weakened body, and Winter fought to remain standing. This couldn't be happening! How could it be happening…? "For all the worth of a Saiyajin, how could I not be able to save one of my own?" she let out in a strangled growl. "I am not of any worth to anyone…"

The doctor turned around to look at her. His brow was furrowed slightly. "What are you talking about? I said it was _close_, I didn't say it didn't live!" He held up a small bundle of cloth that was lying in his arms. He smiled warmly and walked over to Winter, holding it out to her. "It's a very healthy, remarkably strong baby boy."

Winter felt her heart beat furiously as she took the child awkwardly. It was definitely not what she had expected a human baby to look like, but at the same time she thought…no, she knew…it was the most wondrous thing she had ever seen. It was a new life she was holding…a new Saiyajin life. The boy's eyes slowly opened, blinking awkwardly for the first time. His curly purple hair reflected the light of the actually dim room. His tiny arms and legs wriggled slightly in her grasp. He stared up at Winter almost in thought, almost as if knowing the link that was actually between them…and suddenly burst into a fit of wailing cries.

And, for the first time in years, Winter smiled honestly. _Like mother…_she thought warmly to herself. _But I will take care of you…I promise. For we are linked in blood, small child. Even though you do not know it._ As she gave the child back to the waiting doctor, she looked at baby's face one last time before he carried it out of the room. She couldn't help but secretly wondered if it was just coincidence that his blue eyes were almost identical to hers… 


	5. Default Chapter Title

Ki Links: Part 5

__

The Fight in the Darkness! A Saiyajin Collision!

Vegita's upsweep of hair flattened against his back as he flew through the night sky with a startlingly almost panicked speed. His body was rigid, set and determined to track the ki of his mate wherever she may be. His hands were clenched in nervous fists and he moved faster than he ever had before, in any battle he had ever been in. Energy cracked around his body in pulsating throes and he felt his body surge with the desire to find the woman.

The Saiyajin no Ouji he had been years before would have mocked him now…shaking up over some human, barely worth the time of such high royalty. The warrior in him would have laughed to see him become so excitable, giving up such ample training time to go searching for just some girl. But no…this was something more… because he was not only flying for her.

He was flying, searching, worrying for his son. His heir. His child.

Vegita could remember instinctively what Bulma had said that week ago. Her assuring voice telling him not to worry, that she could survive in the wild for a time. Commanding him that she needed, she had to have, time to herself for a while. Promising that the baby wouldn't come for another few weeks. He hadn't given any thought to it, besides that he would be sleeping alone and would have to fix his own meals until her return. He had never thought, never even dreamed that anything would happen to his mate while she was away.

The worry that etched through him was a new emotion for him to feel. He had experienced many things in his life: fear, loathing, rage. He had even felt death itself, the coldness that overtook him and the darkness that stole away his life on the desolate planet Namecksei. But this new feeling was stranger, more odd than those… and he did not care for it. Was it also…love that pushed him on? The partnership to his mate that kept his body from breaking down in exhaustion? That couldn't be it…Saiyajins weren't born with such queer emotions.

His thoughts were interrupted as Vegita finally came to the place where Bulma's energy centered to. It was Satan General Hospital, a large building set into one of the main squares of the city. Vegita had never been particular to the humans' strange medical terminology and instruments. He had even seen Kakarrotto, the great Super Saiyajin who had gone so far as to defeat the almighty Frieza in combat, break down in pleas and almost tears before a human syringe. How ironic that such a warrior could be brought to his knees before something so simple…

Vegita pinpointed her location and floated up to her room on about the fifth or sixth floor. He looked into the window that lead inside her dark room, shielding his eyes so that he could see the form that lay on the bed inside. His inherited acute eyesight allowed him to see remarkably well in the night without so much as even a lamp on inside the hospital room. He was relieved to see that the woman was sleeping soundly; he could even make out the sounds of her breathing from outside. He silently pried the window open and stepped inside the cool apartment.

The Saiyajin walked with soundless steps on his still bare feet as he approached the small bed. Bulma's blue hair looked wild and disorderly, marking unknown battles she must have gone through only a while before. But she was still just as beautiful as when Vegita had started living with her months before, although he would never openly admit it to her. He reached out a hand and stroked her cheek, and for the first time through the physical contact, he noticed that something was lacking from her… He closed his eyes and reached out, feeling through her body for something... 

Yes, he was positive. She had given birth already…his son was born.

Vegita smirked. He wished he could have been around to see the look on the humans' faces when they found the baby's tail. No doubt that trait would remain constant in his child… he remembered the unfortunate occurrence of when even Kakarrotto's half-breed brat had still possessed a tail, going so far as to even turn Oozaru and almost kill him in their first battle. Almost. But he would be sure to be more careful with his son… he would see that such accidents would not reoccur. He couldn't wait to see him, his young prince…

"Funakosama…"

The word awoke Vegita from his almost trance. He knew it hadn't come from him or Bulma, that much was certain. But he hadn't sensed anyone else in the room… he pushed an orb of energy into his palm and scanned the room again. It was empty. "Who dares toy with me…" he growled more to himself than out loud.

"Funakosama… no!" 

The voice was louder this time, almost frightened. But Vegita knew it wasn't directed at him… he walked silently to the other side of the bed and almost tripped. On the floor, curled up into a ball almost like a cat, lay a teenage girl. She had a disorderly white mane of hair and her black clothes were torn and dirty. Vegita could feel her ki now…it still amazed him that he hadn't felt it moments before. It was in a state of dormancy, a hidden position she had put it in before resting. He had done it many times himself. He probed the small bit of energy she released…no, it couldn't be…

"Saiyajin…" he breathed out. 

Vegita lowered himself to a crouching position before the sleeping girl. He felt partly excited, partly confused, partly curious. How long had it been since he had seen another true-blooded Saiyajin? What was this one doing in the same room as his mate? Why wasn't it older? Frieza had destroyed the planet Vejiitasei years before…she should be at least to the adult stage! But most importantly, why did this one seem familiar to him? There was only one way to confirm his suspicions…

He reached out one hand around the girl's back and felt around near her gi pants. No doubt she would still have her tail. He felt a bit disappointed when he did not find it wrapped around her waist like most of the other warriors had done on Vejiitasei. Was his race now truly dead? Were the only ones left to carry the once proud bloodline himself and that imbecile Kakarrotto? He felt an overwhelming relief when he found the roots of the tail where he thought they would be, although the actual appendage itself was wrapped around her right leg.

Vegita closed his hand tightly around the base, and for a moment he was tempted to pull the thing out. But why should he care? That Nameckseijin Piccolo had destroyed the moon years ago and the girl looked too young to be able to make an effective artificial moon. And there was no way in this world or the next that he was afraid of this child… but why was he still so set on taking the tail out? Was he…jealous? Jealous that he had been robbed of his tail by that fat kusotare during that first battle on Earth? No…

He didn't have much time to think before the girl's eyes suddenly snapped open.

The whole healing ordeal and flight had literally exhausted Winter by the time she saw that Bulma was taken care of and the baby was given a proper room. The doctors had tried to get her out of the hospital, saying things about "visitation hours" and other asinine comments, trying to force her out of the building. But Winter had calmly refused, commanding them that she had to look after the woman. They had been easily convinced. Maybe it was the fact that she had _flown_ through the entrance of the hospital or just her apparent brutality that made their decision for them…

Winter had decided right off to stay in the room with Bulma, to make sure she was there if anything were to happen to her. But her body was totally drained and she was forced to finally sleep, curled into a fetal position near the side of her bed. As she drifted into her unconscious slumber, she was plagued once again by flashes of nightmares from before. It was dark, shadows blinded her eyesight of anything but that which was ahead. Images of the black lion, larger in size than it had been before, that she had battled just the other night reappeared, silently biting, slashing, ripping a human to pieces before her eyes. It was Funakoshi, she could tell from the sadness in the eyes of the dying master. She felt her own stomach churn and heave with the sickness of the display. Then suddenly the faces of strange people laughed at her…laughing at her incompetence…

Then the lion turned to her, and with a silent leap sunk its teeth into the lower part of her back…

That's when she had awoken.

Winter darted her eyes to the source of the still numbing pain that etched through her back, overtaking her body as she lay there. She saw a man, a short man with a great mass of spiked hair and his face set into a stone cold look of grimness, crouched beside her. His hand was now gripping her tail in an almost cold power. She felt his energy emanating through his touch… Winter had never felt such power or such pain for that matter in her entire life. And for a moment, she was afraid.

But only for a moment.

Winter blinked and forced her remaining energy in one powerful heel kick to the man's face, which was nearer to her due to his kneeling position. "Hands off!" she snarled, her voice savage and cold. A warm tingling replaced the numbness as the man reeled away from her and let go, obviously surprised by the tactic by the way his narrowed eyes had widened slightly. Winter felt her heel slightly pained…the man was like a rock! She had never experienced one with such power as this… 

Vegita shook his head slightly, clearing it of the shock he had received from the sudden strike. Yes, this girl had the raw Saiyajin power he had expected…but he didn't care about that. This child had dared to strike him, something few true Saiyajin upper class warriors would dare to do even in sparring matches. An offense punishable by death. "Kisama…" he growled as he started building up his ki.

Vegita watched in a sardonic humor as the girl jumped from her position on the floor and into a crude defensive stance. Her energy was now alerted and heightened to its fuller flame. Her eyes were narrowed in an angry tone and she flexed her fingers, cracking them. _At least she is taking her death fight seriously,_ Vegita thought with a hidden satisfaction. "I hope you are proud of that little tap you gave me," he remarked. "Few have had the opportunity of taking even that much with them when they die."

The girl only made a small growling sound in response. That was all there was really time for.

The Prince dematerialized behind her within a second's notice, the only thing marking his last position was a blurred image of himself. She hadn't even seen it coming until he sunk both of the balls of his feet into her back. The force of the double kick actually managed to throw her through the window and out into the night sky. _At least now I don't have to worry about harming the woman, _he thought to himself as he followed her out the hole.

Winter felt herself free falling and managed to concentrate on floating before she could start plummeting to the ground. Her already injured back was throbbing with a heated pain and she was surprised the man's blow hadn't broken her spine. She felt her wounds reopen and the warm wet feeling of blood start to drip down her body. She glared upward defiantly at the man, now floating a few feet in front of her. 

She managed to bare her teeth in an almost barbaric grin. "I will live. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for you…besides, you were not the first to draw blood."

One of his dark eyebrows curled in confusion. The stranger reached one hand up to his chin and touched the spot where her heel had connected. Just as she had said, there was a small, yet significant, slice of severed skin. As he looked at his hand with an amazed rage, Winter could tell that next time perhaps she should watch her tongue. He glanced up at her with a startlingly look of sheer murder and said in a guttural whisper, "Now you die." 

Winter looked on with a morbid curiosity as he brought both of his hands out in front of him, palms facing out and up shoulder length. He screamed out, "Renzoku Energy Dan!" and blew forth a stream of sudden constant blasts of fiery energy. Winter crossed both of her arms in front of her chest and forced a shield around her. It worked to a fashion as she felt some of the blasts fly past her along her side, but the ones that were aimed head on connected with painful accuracy. But perhaps the flaming shield they were providing could be used to her advantage…

She threw both of her arms out, pushing her shield to a farther radius before it dissipated. The spheres continued to explode against it and she flew through the flames, using them as barriers so as that the man could not see her on the other side. She blew the remaining fire away from her and soared straight into him head on. She let out an almost barbaric yell as she sunk her fist into the man's stomach, followed by a sharp backhand to the side of his head. She floated back a bit from him and curled over, breathing deeply from the sudden attack and the punishment her body was taking.

Winter forced herself up to a vertical position and managed a half smile as she watched the man, bent over the place she had struck him. His form was shaking slightly and she wondered just how hard she had hit him. That's when the growing sounds from him reached her ears…laughter. He lifted his head, his face twisted in a mocking humor. "After your first little sneak attack," he let out between chuckles. "You thought I wouldn't be ready for a tactic like that? How juvenile."

In the next second, the man smirked and his image blurred away in an instant. Winter could barely even track his ki as he dematerialized again, not unlike he had done before, and appeared right above her, sweeping his leg cleanly into the side of her face. Winter reeled backward, her vision actually turned white and clouded with the force of the attack. She almost felt her skin tear off and she could feel small streaks of blood run down her face in miniature streams. Her eyes swerved to and fro, searching for her attacker.

"Can't you feel me, fool?" his voice screamed from above her, and Jade looked just in time to feel his connected fists drive down into the front of her skull.

The vicious momentum of the strike forced Winter's body into a spiraling roll toward the ground. She let out a strangled cry, mixed with pain and a surprising awareness that it hadn't broken her neck. She forced a concentrated hold on her flight and made her body stop at a halfway crouched stand. Her body shook in a convulsive pain as she almost seemed to twitch…the pain she felt was new. It was raw…and yet she couldn't help but feel almost a sickly twisted excitement at this chance to finally fight with a _real_ warrior.

Her ears seemed to shift upward as she heard the sound of the man's new burst of amused laughter. "You should be satisfied, Saiyajin! There are not many of your kind that can die knowing that they lasted this long against the mighty Prince Vegita! Though satisfaction won't save your wretched soul…"

"Hai, it won't…" Winter charged her ki into almost circled ringlets around her wrists and swung both of her arms in one circular motion behind and then around her, pushing them out into fists toward the other fighter. The circles spread out and split, forming small half-disks of energy soaring in all directions. "But perhaps this will! _Meteor Flying Shower!_"

Vegita should have seen an attack coming.

True, the little whelp had true spirit, that much was certain. But he had not expected her to be able to form any significant ki combination after the force he had dealt to her in that one strike. It was the same one he had used on Kakarrotto during their first fight, which, if he recalled correctly, had nearly sent him into the ground. The true determination this simple girl was showing was surely invigorating to him…but he couldn't let her live. One of them was going to die tonight, and he wouldn't face death so easily.

The girl smirked in a grim confidence as the fingers on her hands seemed to dance around, seeming to control the small attacks to go every which way. Some went up, some went down, some traveled together, some alone. There were far too many for Vegita to keep track of. But just as suddenly as her fingers were moving, they were once again clamped into one single fist, and Vegita was thrown forward as the small bits formed together into one mighty sphere that hit him squarely in the back.

His body was thrown forward, and Vegita coughed as the breath caught in his chest from the loss of air. He tilted his head back to look where the blast had connected. Yes, his back was burning with an acidic spreading and his flesh was scarring harshly. This…brat was going to pay dearly… He turned back around to see her preparing a harsh uppercut that would connect when his body came within reach. So that was her plan…

Vegita let his flying body sag loosely, feinting a painful unconscious. He was coming closer to the girl and he could feel her charging her ki into her arm so as that to inflict damage with the cut. His eye caught a shine of triumph in one of her blue eyes and he did not move until the punch was only a small distance away. He twisted his body around and caught her fist in an iron clasp. His eyes narrowed again and he growled a guttural curse. "Now…shine!" 

He squeezed her fingers in a cracking fist and relished in the sound of her small choked cry. He reached his other hand up in one fluid motion and grabbed her throat in a hold that would have broken a normal human's neck. Her pupils started to shrink and Vegita could feel her pulse actually slowing. To think that this one would die so easily…

Winter felt her hand begin to snap like a twig. The pain was a relentless punishment, only getting worse as the seconds grew. This was no regular fight…this man wanted blood. He wanted her dead, and Winter knew that he wouldn't stop until she was. The hand on her throat was forcing every bit of life out of her, taking her very essence with every flex of his fingers. The view of his looming visage, smiling and looking down at her with an almost cruel happiness, only worsened her flight to death.

She didn't even have the energy to keep herself flying; the only thing keeping her from crashing to the ground was the murderer holding her up. 

A warm tingling spread to her feet as her blood started to run dry. It wouldn't be long until her shell of a body was nothing but an empty cast. Like a crushed insect.

Suddenly Vegita's hand grew hot with a new burning. Was it just her mind running rampant? Was it a figment of her imagination? No…he was charging up… But there was no way she was going to die so helplessly. She forced her power into one small gesture…she smiled. A half grin actually, but a smile nonetheless. When she spoke, she couldn't even hear her own voice. "Baka…don't waste…time…" 

He smirked in reply. "Perhaps you should have told me that when we started this fight… So now it ends here! Big Bang…"

And as Winter finally fell into unconsciousness, her throat almost catching fire from the upraise in ki, she could make out faintly the words of a crying voice…

"Vegita no baka!"

The Saiyajin Prince shifted his gaze from the now unconscious child to the sight of his mate, leaning out of the hole in the window they had come out of. Her eyes were wild, glaring at him angrily. He was so close to finishing his opponent off… "What do you want, woman?" he half growled, half yelled in annoyance.

She closed her hand in a fist, shaking it at him in an almost comical threat. "Put that girl down now! Just what in Kame's name do you think you're _doing _out there? Get in here at once!"

Vegita smirked in amusement. It was humorous to think just what the woman could do to him, which was little to none. True, she had the iron will that most of the weak beings of her race lacked, but in physical prowess he was her superior. But she was a deviant little one…yes, she had ways of bending even him to her will… 

No cooking. No gravity room upgrades. No bed. 

_Kuso! I hate it when she does this!_

He silently retreated back to the small, enclosed quarters of the hospital room, holding the girl now by the scruff of her charred neck. Bulma ran up to him, grasping the girl under the armpits and half dragging her to the bed she had been given. Vegita leaned against what was left of the window frame, his arms crossed, and watched emotionlessly as the woman pressed a sheet to the bleeding skull. "Come on, Winter…" he could hear her repeating. 

"She's alive…what are you so worked up about?" he asked, nonchalantly. 

Bulma turned on her heel, her blue hair practically blazing in an angry annoyance. She reached out with the flat of her hand and unceremoniously slapped him in the face. _Hmm…stronger than usual…must have touched a nerve with that one_, Vegita thought to himself. She yelled directly in his face, her voice sharp and cruel. "You arrogant little crap…she not only saved me, but your own son as well!"

Vegita felt himself step back a bit in surprise. "My…"

A small grin caught in the woman's features, despite her apparent rage. "Thought that might get your attention. If it wasn't for her, I never would have even gotten here in time. You should be grateful."

But when she turned around, the Saiyajin was gone, the only thing marking his place of departure being a trail of dust. As she went back to trying to care for the wounds of the white-haired girl, she said softly to herself, "Why is it always the men I go out with who always choose to leave at the most impromptu times? Men, all bakas, the whole lot of 'em!" 


End file.
